Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-08-26
How Old Aunt Amanda saved n Train
in Indiana

From the Louisville Courier Journal
Within an hour Of the terrible railway
disaster at Chatsworth, Amanda Barker,
an aged negress, was walking along the
track of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and In
danapolis road, near Glenwood, Ind. on
her way TO "A farm house, where she was t.
work during the day She had just passed
the small station at Glenwood, which is "A
lonely, dismal spot between indianapolis
and Connersville, frequented only occasion
ally 10y the farmers living around, when on
turning sharp curve In the road. she was
Mortified 10 see some distance ahead the
smoudering remains Of what had "a short
while before been IA stout substantial bridge
connecting emhankments $50 feet apart
and spanning a chasm % feet deep The
bridge had evidently been burning during
the entire night, for the superstructnre
was entirely eaten away 10y the fire, and
only few weak tlmbers and the stone
piers were left
The old negress could not collect herself
FOR several moments but 1t suddenly dawn
ed upon her that "A train passed that point
some time III the early morning She knew
that 1t was fast one and never stopped at
GlenwuOd. She turned her steps back
ward, intending 20 flag the train at the
station hut had gone scarcely a hundred
yards when She heard the shrill scream Of
the whistle, as she thought directly ahead
Of her. 1t was the east-bound lightning
express, due at GlenwDod at j:4j O'Clock
She tried hs hard as she could 10 get around
the bend which ohstructed the train from
view, all the time tearing and Juggling away
at an old brown apron which she wore,
which she wanted to Use az a signal flag
stumbling and falling. she was kept back
considerably. hut she finally broke the
apron strings, which never seemed ~
tightly tied before, and, almost dropping %
the earth from sheer exhaustion she round
ed the bend and saw the train laundering
down upon her only few hundred wards
away. The burning bridge was about the
same distance behind her, and she knew
that 10 let the train pas- meant certain
death o. many on board Raising the I'M
provised flag high above her head she for
got her exhaustion and waved it frantical
ly. standing IN the middle Of the track
where her presence could not 70 unnoticed
For awhile II seemed t. her that no one
saw her, but she kept her position deter
mined 10 stop the train or die Oh the track
At last the engineer saw her and reversed
his engine. bringing 1t 81 a standstli a few
yards in front Of the old woman Leaning
out of the cah window, and thinking the
negress drunk or crazy, lac called out
We'll, well, what l. 1t Z"
For Gods sake, mister. she answered.
don't 20 any farther. The bridge is burn
ed down. and it is right IN front Of YOU
indeed 1t is
The trainmen had by this time been at
tracted 81 the front Of the train by the
stoppage at this out-of- the-way place, and
from the sincerity of the old woman. be
leved her story. A number of them fol-
lowed her around the bend and there YER
ited the truth of her statement
All of the passengers were around the
spot IN a short while. aud when they saw
how narrow their escape had been they
could scarcely speak.
large purse was made up for their
beneiactress. but she positively refused t.
take any money, and said she was too hap
py 10 touch anything-that money would
only make her feel bad again. When the
passengers were congratunting themselves
on their ESCAPE the old uegress became SO
happy that she burst into tears and was 81
joyful for awhile that she Rugged several
OF the ladies and gentlemen and danced al
old fashioned liz